Professional Billiards Association (PBA) tour stars showcased their sharp wits before their cue skills ahead of the new season.
The PBA held a media day at the Korea Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, on Wednesday, previewing the opening of the 2026-2027 PBA Tour this weekend. Entering its eighth season, the PBA Tour will kick off a 10-month campaign with the Woori Financial Capital Championship, held from Nov. 16 to 24 at the KINTEX PBA Stadium in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.
Leading players from both the PBA and LPBA tours attended the event and outlined their goals for the season.
Kim Ga-young (43, Hana Card), who has firmly held her position as the dominant force on the LPBA Tour, said, "My goal this year is to win every tournament if possible." A former world pocket billiards champion, Kim has recorded 18 career wins over seven years on the three-cushion LPBA stage, including four during the 2025-2026 season.
"Because I switched from pocket billiards, three-cushion felt like learning a second language — no matter how much I practiced, it didn't feel like my native tongue. But just as someone living abroad for about 10 years starts thinking and dreaming in a foreign language, three-cushion now seems to be going through that kind of transformation for me," she said. "Motivation is actually the hardest part, but I find it through the process of searching for and shaping my own style of billiards."
Kim Young-won (19, Harim), who became the youngest champion at last season's World Championship finale, set a bold target. "I want to pick up more than three wins," she said. "I practiced much more during the off-season. I felt a bit drained toward the end of last season, so I've also been focusing on physical conditioning."
Daniel Sanchez (Spain, Welcome Savings Bank), who is seeking back-to-back prize money titles, said, "I trained hard both mentally and physically in Spain for 45 days, and I set up a personal practice facility in Korea. Winning the team league this season would be meaningful."
Jung Su-bin (27, NH NongHyup Card), who has emerged as a "goddess of billiards," said, "During the off-season, I didn't rest but focused more on playing games rather than drills. I worked on basic shots, bank shots, and adapting to the tables. I'll make sure my performance matches the attention I've received and aim for more than one win."
Sruong Pheavy (Cambodia, Woori Financial Capital), who finished second in the points ranking last season, said, "I didn't go home and rested well while practicing," vowing a strong showing.
